Unquenchable Fire
by TJR05
Summary: A clarification about John's 'wife' may lead to more between him and his preferred detective.
1. Chapter 1

**Unquenchable Fire**

AN: I was sorting out my writing file and came across this- about a week or so go I was chatting with the brilliant minds at POI Forum we were talking about short fics, I'm usually not someone who is very good at one shots but I've been trying my hand at them lately and this particular theme has been talked about and discussed, so I figured why not finish it into an isolated fluffy smut :D but then I decided to split it into two parts (lol.) Please enjoy and leave reviews. Thank you!

"_When the skies are grey and all the doors are closing  
__and the rising pressure makes it hard to breathe  
__well, all I need is a hand to stop the tears from falling  
__I will find him, will find him next to me_"

"Next to Me" - by Emeli Sande

**Part 1**

She looked at herself in the mirror once more with two pairs of shoes in her hand, a black in her right and a beige in her left as she decided which one to wear. Jocelyn Carter was all woman, while she was tough as they came she also enjoyed being feminine when there was a chance. Working in a male dominated environment she usually opted to neutralize her sex and let her work speak for itself. She was confident in herself, in her skills as a detective and even her instincts as a mother. While she did take care of herself, her looks didn't play a big part in what she had in life, she earned it fair and square.

But lately she found herself spending few extra minutes to make sure her makeup was applied just right, and her hair was done. She told her herself it was nothing, but she knew that something was changing within her. It was a while ago she felt this feeling that was creeping up on her. Joss shook her head and brushed the front of her dress before she choose the black suede pumps. She smiled at her reflection and picked up her clutch to head to the door.

She was meeting her friend Gabriella and her husband Michael for dinner, after receiving a voice mail from her old law school friend, she realized just how long it's been since she went out to dinner with a friend. Wondering if she had any friends left she dialed the number, two and half hours later they had set a date for dinner and for Joss to finally meet Michael the man who made a believer out of the strong, independent Gabby.

These days her time was split between work, Taylor, and her vigilante work on the side. She thought about dating, actually she'd thought about dating before John came crashing into her life, but never felt all that compelled to go for it. But again lately she found herself thinking of the tall mysterious man with the soulful blue eyes. A mental slap usually took care of further thoughts of the man who turned her life into fifty one shades of gray. As if he knew she was thinking of him again her phone buzzed with a text.

"_Drinks at Savannah._" It simply read. She sighed, she should say no, but if she didn't hear him out she'd wonder about it all through dinner and her night would be ruined, besides '_savannah'_ happen to be just a few blocks from where she was having dinner with Gabby anyway. So she replied a quick "_See you in twenty_." And put the phone into her coat pocket as she hailed a cab to head downtown. She couldn't help but smile at the idea of John seeing her out of her usual work clothes, pulling out the small compact in her clutch she checked her makeup, as her mind gave her the side eye for acting like a love sick girl.

II

He walked into the dimly lit bar spotting her instantly on the other side of the bar watching the game on TV with mild interest. He moved slowly around towards her garnering the attention of a group of twenty something girls, but his eyes were set on the unsuspecting detective. He watched as a young man tried his luck with Carter, she smiled sweetly at him but John could already read the sassy coming out of her full lips. He couldn't help the smirk that formed on his face, Joss had a way of doing that to him. The boy looked deflated as he walked away to join his friends who jeered him with good humor. It didn't surprise John that a boy who was only a few years older than Taylor was trying to hit on Carter, she was a stunning woman hidden behind her asexual clothes, but every once in a while the light caught her just right and she'd be an exotic goddess with curves that could kill a man.

He took a seat next to her and instantly she turned and gave him that haughty smile. "John."

"Joss." He said knowing that whenever he called her by her first name it threw her off a little, but also to cover his amusement at her turning down the suitor of the night and being able to spot him so fast. He looked to the bartender and pointed to a draft. He let his nostrils fill with her scent which usually was subdued but tonight it was very potent. A mix of gardenias, bergamot, and jasmine perhaps? All he knew was that, it was fresh, beautiful and what Joss smelled like.

"So what am I doing here? What laws am I going to break now?" she asked finally turning to him fully, he took note of her clothes first, she wasn't in her usual work clothes. No, actually she was in a long sleeved dark purple crew neck dress that clung to her full breast down her tiny waist to her sensuous hips, it reached just above her thigh with a dangerous split up the mid right side exposing a tantalization patch of glowing golden skin. Her hair was down around her face, and she even wore a different shade of lipstick, and if he wasn't mistaken those heels weren't the work friendly ones either as it accentuated her toned calves.

"Going somewhere Carter?" He asked taking a sip of his beer, he watched her tense for a moment and smiled.

"Just dinner with a friend," she shrugged, "what am I doing here John?"

"I didn't know you had plans, I just asked you out for a drink." He said casually. He's known Carter for a while now, and it always amazed him how the woman didn't have men throwing themselves at her feet every minuet of everyday. Sure she had occasional admirers who worked up the courage to ask her out like the boy who tried earlier but she never bit. She was a social person, but she hardly spent any time with friends opting to spend any free time with Taylor and her mother. So to say he was surprised that she had plans with a _friend_ both surprised and worried him. Why it worried him he didn't let his mind delve into at present.

"You didn't say it was play, it sounded like work." She sighed and picked up her glass, which he knew she was partial to gin and tonic, but tonight she drank red wine.

Truth be told he didn't really know why he asked her to drinks, no, he knew but didn't really want to admit why it was important to even clarify the matter. Couple of weeks ago when Zoe had introduced herself as his wife to Carter he was frozen in place for a second, he could hear Zoe's agitation in being sidelined as he spoke to Carter. In all honestly he didn't even remember for a moment that Zoe was standing there. But what bothered him even more was the almost blasé look on Carter's face when she heard the information and even more when he explained "long story" and her faced said "whatever."

He'd walked around for the past two weeks wondering if he should finally clarify the long story, but a bigger wonder was why he felt he had to in the first place. He knew something was changing between them, he had known for a while, but acknowledging it was another thing. He wanted to know if she truly wasn't bothered by the idea of Zoe. His mind both reasoned and played devils advocate as to why she was and wasn't affected. In the end he decided that he needed to talk to her about if only to gauge her reaction.

"Well John?" She asked looking at him with those big brown eyes which were lined with black liner for the occasion. Fuck she looked gorgeous tonight, he's never seen her like this-she looked all woman, soft and inviting, but that fierceness was still there, the fire behind those eyes burned even brighter tonight.

"I was undercover, Zoe and I were posing as a married couple." He started, he still didn't know why he felt like he needed to explain this to her. But he just assumed that women cared about these things, and he wanted her to know so she didn't get the wrong impression is what he told himself over and over. "That's why she said she was my wife."

"So not a long story then." She said taking another sip of her wine. She had to admit that seeing a leggy woman who introduce herself as John's wife made her feel funny. While she felt funny about a lot of things involving John, this particular one was a very odd kind of funny, the kind of funny that made her mind spend way too much wondering what it all meant. The kind of funny that made her wonder if he saw her as a woman or just a big block of letters that spelled detective.

She fought a smile though as she looked at the light bouncing off the various liquor bottles. She felt relieved and glad that he found the need to explain, to actually take the time to tell her and set her right.

"I guess not." He frowned.

"You don't owe me an explanation John, hell most of the time you don't care about what I suggest," she looked at him then, "so why are you meeting for a drink to discuss your martial status with me?"

John smiled, "so you wouldn't care if I was married?"

Carter laughed, "I'd be worried for the poor woman sitting at home wondering where you are, though Mrs. John Reese doesn't seem like the type to wait at home."

"What kind of woman does Mrs. Reese seem like?" he asked before talking a long gulp of his beer.

Carter watched his Adam's apple bop as he swallowed the liquid, her eyes then traveling up his throat to his jaw which was clean shaven, to his lips that was curved into a crooked half smile, to finally his eyes which issued a challenge to her to keep going. "She's the kind of woman who'd put you in your place when you're being an unreasonable jerk. She'd surprise you, keep you on your toes. She'd probably pick up a gun and join the the cause that you and Finch have going on-a silent revolution to save humanity one person at a time. She'd be understanding when you needed the time and space, she'd be a wall of strength. And she'd be an excellent mark." Her voice softened with each trait that she listed for possible future Mrs. Reese.

"Sounds like she's a keeper." Said John, his mind thought all those traits for a woman was sitting right in front of him this very moment. "You're gonna have to find me this woman."

"Thought you already found her, Zoe seemed like she can be all of that. Don't know about her shooting skills but you can certainly teach her that." She pushed some hair from her eyes, she didn't know why it bothered her to talk about the leggy woman in a short skirt, the humor left her voice and she said sincerely, "I'm glad you found someone who understands what you do."

"Do you understand what I do?" he suddenly asked, she looked at him his blue eyes imploring her to answer, yet his face remind stoic. She often wondered if he had any idea how expressive his damn eyes were.

She gave a nervous smile then it disappeared as his name came out in a breathy whisper "John."

He felt it too, he saw it in her eyes. He couldn't believe it but he saw it, she wanted him too. All this time he's been walking around thinking that Jocelyn Carter could never want a guy like him, she floored him again and he couldn't be happier about it.

"Look you don't need to explain stuff like that to me, I get it, there are things that you and Finch do to get faster results." She shrugged quickly, she stood then, taller than she usually was but he still matched her sitting down. "I have to go, I have people waiting for me."

He said nothing as she pulled on her coat that was resting on the back of her bar stool, just taking her in, his breath catching when she turned to expose her toned bare back the curve of her spine disappearing into soft fabric of the dress as it dipped in to her perfectly shaped ass that even in her work clothes she couldn't hide. A flash of black and it was gone, but the increase moisture in his mouth hadn't, neither did the slight tightening of his pants.

When she turned to look at him, it hit her like a ton of bricks, the energy that surrounded the two of them, the way his pupils were dilated, the way his eyes took her in a slow sweep, she actually felt her nipple get hard from just his gaze. Fuck. John Reese wanted her the way she had been fantasizing about him for weeks now. She cleared her throat, "thank you for clarifying things, it wasn't necessary but I do appreciate it."

John said nothing, because there was nothing to say. He'd come to gauge her reaction, but he hadn't thought about what he'd do with the reaction that he would get. He hadn't actually expected her to return his feelings. She wasn't supposed me dressed like the most luscious thing he'd ever seen shredding rational thought. He tired to think of something to say to keep her with him, something to keep her from meeting who ever this friend was. "I'll walk you." He said throwing down a 50 on bar to cover her drink and his, he was always a generous tipper, but tonight it was just cause he couldn't let her get away. He felt like a predator who locked onto it's prey and he was prepared to stalk her for days before he pounced, while the metaphor worked literally, he hoped it didn't take days before he could taste the glowing skin of her thighs.

She was startled by his offer to walk her, did he know where she was going? Had he been listening in again? While these questions presented themselves in her head all she could think of was how little she cared at the moment about his boundary issues. She watched him watch her, the magnetic attraction between them so intense that she couldn't help but more just a few inches closer as they walked out of the bar his arm behind her, just grazing her lower back. He hadn't even touched her but her skin was tingling. Yet she continued to say nothing as they stepped into the cool night air.

"John..." Just then her phone rang, it was Gabby. She softly excused herself as she pulled her phone out and answered turning her back to him, but felt him staring a whole into her back. This night was charged with surprises for her, she was glad that she dressed for it, she thought with mental smile.

TBC

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Please Review!


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I know I haven't updated in like ages, but I swear RL got in the way. I was gonna make this a two parter but the more I wrote the more I wanted to keep it going so this might turn in to a few chapters, we will see. Thank you for the reviews, as always I love them, please keep them coming!

"I see you hidden in the night I found you  
I see you separate from the others.  
Bent crooked in the light around you.  
Bathing in the sight of the others."

"Thunder Clatter" by Wild Cub

**Part 2**

"Jo I'm so sorry but we're running a little late-" Gabby suddenly stopped talking, Carter looked at her phone to make sure she didn't accidentally hang up with her cheek, the cons of touch screen phones. "Gabby?" she called after seeing that she was still connected.

"Jo!"

Carter realized this time that her name didn't come from the phone rather from behind her. She turned to look at her friend who was releasing her husband's arm to come rushing towards her to embrace her. Carter laughed as she put her phone away and took the woman in to her arms. But her eyes traveled to John for a second to see him standing there with an amused look on his face. When Gabby finally released her, she turned to Michael and extended a hand.

"You must be Michael the miracle worker."

Michael took her hand and laughed, while Gabby made some comment about how she really wasn't so bad. But Gabby noticed John before Carter could introduce him. What would she introduce him as? Suddenly she realized why maybe he hadn't introduced Zoe to her that night a couple weeks ago. But the realization did nothing to make her feel better about it all.

"Hi are you Jo's friend?" Asked Gabby looking the handsome man up and down with his tailored suit and expensive coat. He had to be with Jocelyn considering how close he was standing next to her when she spotted her friend from down the block. He even seemed to find the whole exchange entertaining, a look of mirth in his gorgeous blue eyes. But her suspicions where proved right when Carter turned to her and nodded.

"This is John."

Suddenly he felt small again, which was just ironic and idiotic because she placed such an honor by agreeing that he was indeed her friend. But the simple 'John' made him wonder if it would ever be anything more than just 'John' someday. The thought got knee caped right away. He extended a hand to Gabby and gave her a friendly smile, "nice to meet you."

Gabby gave him a toothy grin before releasing his hand, turning to give Carter the eye. The men introduced themselves in the mean time. Carter felt like she just stepped into some surreal movie scene, she waited for John to excuse himself but he was actually having a conversation with Michael casually as if that was the most natural thing for him to do. When glanced over at her and saw the challenge in his eyes, she knew that she was in for it. Gabby observant as ever didn't miss a beat when she spoke again.

"So John you're going to join us for dinner aren't you?"

Carter looked at him, her eyes saying '_sorry you don't have to_.' While he just simply smiled at Gabby and Michael than looked at Carter and said, "If Joss doesn't mind me joining you for dinner, I would love to."

Carter's mouth fell open almost as if she had no control of her body, and for a second she really didn't have any control, but then she quickly smiled and said through tight lips, "Sure, of course."

"Great! We should hurry over, our reservation is for 8." Gabby said as she linked her arm with Michael and the pair started off in front of Carter and John.

She peeked at him as they started to walk, and saw the grin on his lips, this jerk was actually playing with her. "You know you don't have to come, I mean you can just disappear into some smoke or something, I can make something up..."

He stopped to look at her, "What's wrong, Joss? Are you scared?"

She shook her head lightly, as her turned to continue walking. She felt him catching up with her and chuckling softly, she didn't know why she was so nervous, but seeing him be so relaxed about something like sitting down to have dinner with her friends both warmed and made her heart race.

II

They had reserved a place at '_Jacques 1534_' a nice little french bistro on prince street. The dim lighting, the sound of laughter, the smell of wine and butter hit them as they walked in. The chill from the night gone instantly as the warmth from the restaurant enclosed them. She felt John standing close to her, his hand low on her back protecting her from anyone who might have idea about shoving past them while they waited for their table, even though there was no one but the four of them. She tightened her grip on her clutch.

He could feel her nerves, it amused him. Jocelyn Carter was always in control, she took whatever was thrown her way, apparently having dinner with her friends while he was present was the only exception. He leaned down and whispered softly into her ear, "relax, Joss," fighting the urge to nips her ear.

They heard Michael inform the maitre'D that their reservation has changed from three to four, to which the man pulling out the menus smiled and nodded. It was a week night with a few open tables for them to sit down without being too much trouble to the restaurant. They were seated in a corner, intimate and cozy. Carter was in a daze as John moved behind her pulling out the chair for her and then pushing it in once she sat down, she saw the look on Gabby's as Michael followed John's lead before the two of them moved to sit across the from ladies.

Carter watched John inspect the menu, heard Gabby ask if they would be having wine with dinner, and Michael saying that he'd love a glass and John chiming in agreement. She watched on with curiosity as John interacted with people, just general people. She knew him to be social when the occasion called for it, the man did save people by ramping himself into their lives. But she just always assumed that was part of this trained skills, that the charm that she knew him to have was just another weapon. But what really struck her was that if it wasn't a skill, he truly was this fucking charming, she was in deep shit. Her rationale and knowledge of John Reese slowly melting away as he socialized with her friends.

When the waitress came to the table, John took the liberty to ask her the specials in french, of course this earned him three very curious pair of eyes, Carter with her brow raised. He simply just smiled, as the waitress blushed. He then informed them which wine would best suit all of their dinner, ordering a white for h'orderves and red for the entree. He even gallantly apologized to Michael for any upstaging.

"You speak french?" slipped out of her mouth before she could contain herself.

He shrugged, "you never asked."

Gabby chuckled softly. "So how did you two meet?"

John's eyes twinkled as if waiting for her to answer, Carter's lips curved as well, she finally saw his game, this was all just that. Something to make her sweat. "We met through work."

"Really?" Gabby asked accepting the glass of wine being poured for her, "what kind of trouble did you get into to end up at Jo's place of work."

"Let's just say I was in a bad place that night, and Joss saved me." He said looking right at her as she said it, then looking to Gabby he fluidly changed the subject. "How did the two of you meet?"

But Carter sat there with her breath hitched in her throat, she couldn't believe what he'd just confessed. The night she met John changed her life as well, she just didn't realized at the time how he'd become something of a pillar of silent strength, that he would not only save her life but Taylor's as well. John Reese single handedly became the most stable and unstable thing in her life. He bought back an excitement that she's been missing for the past few years.

So she let her shoulders relax and leaned back in her chair and watched him charm her friends, watched as he charmed her in a completely different way by opening up to her indirectly. When his eyes passed over her they smiled at her, they danced, and they held a secret promise of heat she witnessed at the bar.

"Joss is the salmon crudo not good?" he asked turning his attention to the beautiful plate of starter in front of her.

She looked at it then at him, "Oh, yeah, it's good." She didn't even notice the waitress place the plate in front of her or that her wine and water glass had been refilled.

"John you've selected the best dishes," commented Gabby digging into her plate happily. "Joss, don't let his man disappear, I think he should join us for every dinner we have!"

"Really every dinner?" Asked Carter with a playful smile.

"I wouldn't mind." John replied his eyes sparkling again.

"I'm sure you wouldn't." She said finally taking a bite of the started he suggested to them, and damn him it was amazing choice, she would've just picked the salad.

Michael laughed softly, "so how long have the two you have been dating?"

Carter's eyes almost popped out of her eyes, and she almost chocked on her food. "What?"

Gabby giggled, "honey! You can't sneak a question like that! Jo is very private, I'm surprised John is even sitting here."

Carter rolled her eyes at her friend's teasing, "we're not dating Michael. John and I are friends."

John said nothing as he smiled at Joss, "Joss is a very good friend."

Gabby smirked, while Michael just smiled, Carter couldn't help but smile, but feel like this is was normal. "Yeah you're not too bad yourself, when you're not causing trouble."

The waitress was swift as she cleared their plates, Gabby took this chance to pull Carter up to her feet and excused them to the ladies room, leaving the men to discuss some sports matters. What she didn't see was the way John's eyes appreciated the full exposure of her back.

II

Gabby dragged her to the ladies room, Carter found herself wondering when her friend who made fun of girls for doing things like this, became one of them. She sighed as she stepped in front of the sink and looked at herself in the mirror. She was a grown ass woman, she needed to get herself together.

"Ok girl, spill."

Carter turn to look at her, "spill what?"

Gabby's toothy smile and mischievous look made Carter nervous, when ever she got that look in law school they'd end up doing something retarded. Gabby pushed her dirty blonde hair over her shoulders. "I want to know how long you've been _fucking_ that gorgeous man out there. I didn't think you had it in you, Jo!"

Carter forgot what a mouth Gabby had on her, the woman could curse like a sailor. Yet she always looked and acted sophisticated and well put together. But what her mind and body responded to was the word '_fucking_.' How long has she been _fucking_ John Reese?!

Carter shook her head, "you got it all mixed up, we're not sleeping together. I know him through work."

"Mmmhmm, if you're not taking that hot piece of ass to town then I don't know if they should let you roam around free, cause clearly you're insane." She said as she reapplied her lipstick.

Carter laughed, "Oh he's handsome is he?"

Gabby smiled at her through the mirror, "Jocelyn Carter, don't you dare bullshit me, I see the way he looks at you, and the way you look at him. If Michael and I weren't here, that man would have you up against a wall so fast..."

"Stop, stop, really I swear nothing is happening between us." Carter shook her hands. "We really are just friends..."

"Something should be happening, Jo if I wasn't married to Michael and that man walked into my place of work, I'd throw away my panties so fast." Gabby smiled into the mirror. Carter found herself laughing, then her friend's eyes soften. "Has he met Taylor?"

Carter nodded, "yeah, Taylor thinks he's a bad ass."

"I know you want to be more than his friend, that waitress was checking him out the whole time we've been sitting there, why else do you think we've been getting impeccable service?! But his eyes never wondered from you other than when he addressed me and Michael. I know you can see it, that man worships the ground you walk on from what I can tell. Trust me I'm a good judge of character. It's my job."

Carter smiled as she leaned against the wall, "It's complicated between us, we're both very...busy people."

"Busy? Really?" Gabby shook her head golden hair bouncing with her. "Okay that's it, I'm committing to you! Cause you're insane!"

Carter chuckled but her mind was already wondering. She was never afraid before to go after what she wanted, what made her think that John was something she couldn't have? Well other than her better reasoning that he's dangerous, his life and work were dangerous but so was hers. She looked at herself in the mirror, she wasn't someone who doubted herself often, so what made her feel like that a man like john wouldn't think she's desirable?

"I see the way your mind is working, and he does want you." Gabby said finally. "Just make the move, or let him do it."

Jocelyn Carter nodded as she followed her friend out of the bathroom, what harm could come from taking their usual banter a step further, no one said they had to fall madly in love and get married and buy pets, right? Except that nagging feeling inside her told her that she was already half there.

John watched the expression change over on her face, she was thinking of something, whatever the ladies talked about in the bathroom had her in think mode. And that worried him, "everything alright?" he asked as she took her seat.

"Yeah, just had a bit of old girl talk" she said.

Gabby cleared her throat, "yeah you know catching up a little without the ears of the men."

"Which is just code for you were talking about us." Said Michael who didn't even bat an eyelash. "So John plays basketball from time to time, was just telling him, we should meet us and watch a game, or even attempt a game, maybe Taylor can teach us a thing or two?"

"Honey that's a great idea!" Gabby agreed. "Right Jo?"

"Yeah Taylor will like that." Carter said looking at John for his reaction.

"I'm sure he'd like to school two old guys more." John said before taking a long gulp of his wine.

She couldn't believe it she was turned on by the way this man talked about her son, and drank his wine, and the way he entertained her friends. She was in deep shit.

TBC

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